Wednesday, November 30, 2011

One Fish, Two Fish, Gold Fish, Old Fish: Goldfish Couple Turns 34

A pair of goldfish won at a fair in 1977 just celebrated their 34th birthdays, making them the oldest goldfish in the UK!

The pair, named Splish and Splash, were given as a prize to Richard and Ann Wright, from Brockworth, Gloucestershire, England, when President Jimmy Carter was in the White House and Queen Elizabeth was celebrating her Silver Jubilee.

The fish originally belonged to the couple's children Matthew and Hayley, who were six and nine when the Wright's brought home the goldfish pair from a fair in picturesque Cheltenham. Even though Matthew and Hayley moved out years ago to start families of their own, Splish and Splash have remained at the Wright's home, growing old with grace and dignity. "They're grey like me," says Richard, as the fish have lost their original golden luster as they've aged.

The fish have outlived a number of cats and other pets over the years as well. "They feel like part of the family," admits Richard. Tish the Goldfish was officially recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the world's oldest when he died aged 43 in 2005.

For more on this story and to see photographs of the Golden Couple, please visit The Daily Mail.